Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-05-12

this city, who has been so efficient In the work OF
delivered an eloquent address There was no meet.
ing held last year because the members OF the So
ciety Were, engaged in their second great work,
namely, the erection OF a statue TO GEN GARFIELD
In this city. The reunion this year as IL is also
the occasion OF the unwilling OF the Garfield
10 the members OF the society. They have achieved
by their organization only the preservation OF
the associations OF their active soldier DAYS but
two fllustrious men, which win testify TO coming
generations the love and reverence OF the Army OF
tne cumberland Tor the qualities OF the soldier and
The first commander of the Army OF the Cum
perlano was Robert Anderson, who was in CON-
Then followed Gen Sherman for short time then
Gen D. Z. buell, then Gen. W. S. Rosecrans and
finally Gen. Geo. II. Thomas
SEaERIDAN'S FIRST REGIMENT.
How He Took Command OF the SECOND
Michigan Cavalry.
THE STORY As TOLD By HIMSELF AND SUPPLEMENTED
By GOV. ALaRR-GEN. SHERIDAN ON TBE ARMY OF
THE cUABRRLAND-sToRMING MISSIONARY RIDGE
Gen. Sheridan, II he did not win his spurs in the
Army or the Cumberland, became famous there as
bold and dashing leader in that army, by his
part In the historical battle on Mission Ridge.
At the last meeting OF the Society of the Army OF
the Cumberland, held at Grand Rapids, Mich,
Gen. Sheridan gave an interesting little account
OF his experience on FIRST taking a command in
the war.
Gov. Alger, In his address OF welcome to the
society, referred 10 the fact that it was at Grand
Rapids that the cid Second Michigan Cavalry,
Gen. Shertdans first command In the war, was
born and Graded. Gen. Sheridan In his response
said, 81 started, might say you know. from Grand
Rapids. As the governor has said. the regi-
ment 1 nrst commanded during the war was
raised IN this place, and was appointed It's col.
know Is that was In my tent down al Shiloh and
MAJ Aiser came In and presented me a telegram
from Governor Blair appointing me colonel OF the
regiment went TO see Gen. Halleck, and he said
l could not do IL, could not go. WAITED for an
hour or two, and after some rurther conference he
consented TO my taking command OF the regiment.
! was Quartermaster then, and a commissary too,
think; and turned over my property as quietly
as could that afternoon and Joined the regiment
In the regiment; I was introduced TO them,
and took a piece OF bacon and bareback, and ate
IL on the pommel OF my saddle, and we started out
ana made that raid across TO Bonneville We
seemed TO get along pretty well together, and we
fought seven or eight times that month; and in a
lew months after l took command OF that regi-
ment was a brigadier general Now, IL is sinsu-
lar Dit / never was mustered into the service
until few days ago. had command OF the I'd
did not have time. And Gov. Robinson knows that
L was lieutenant general before / asked him to
airy"
GOV. AIGHR ADDS TO THE STORY.
Gov. Alger, after this speech, remarked: "By
permission OF Gen. Sheridan want to correct his
story. He means well and he always intends to
tell thing just as it IS; but when he says that
he took piece OF bacon and tied il to the pommel
OF his saddle be did not say where he got IL. The
true story would not be mentioned by me but for
the fact that the general has spoken about il. In
May, 1861, after had been acting neid-oificer
OF the day all night In front OF Cornth. reported
10 Gen. Gordon Granger at headquarters Gen
Granger said to me: CART Alger, have gust
colonel II is Capt. PHI sheridan. You get Some
breakfast here; the hoSt,er Will feed your horse.
You have got to go TO Pittsburg Landing
started on, and We rode 80 miles 10
get there. / presented our case 10 Gov.
Blair. He did not Ike these regular army officers
very We'll; but afterward he sad: well, you may
appoin. Captain sheridan. and on a haif sheet VI
note paper he wrote the appointment, ordering
dinner and started back. We travelled al, night,
get lost the way, and the next morning Just
before daylight had that order ia my pocket-I
lay down in camp, and when woke up my horse
was gone. and Gen. Sheridan has never paid Tor IL
yet L went over TO headquarters, Lieut.. Wal
bridge was with me, and found there that they
thought considerable CT Captain Sheridan. Some
one spoke up and said Sheridan; ii Is only one
step toward brigader, and it shows how little
Sheridan remarked: No. gentlemen. am now a
colonel Of cavalIy-I have got ali the rank L
walt The next day he started ON
afterwari, he mad kept us racing around, pretty
we'll occupied all the time" A little later in tie
proSeedi n lady assitea ~sheridan,s Ride
black horse came from Grand Rapids, and was
given 10 hiin 10y the I'd Michigan cavalry: This
horse he rode at RienZ., and it was Named Rien1.
Afterward IL was re-christened Winchester.
sToEMING MISSIONARY RIDGE.
Gen. Sheridan commanded division at Chatta-
nOoga. Bragg, the Confederate leader, held
strong position on Missionary Ridge, and Gen.
sherman had made a strong but unsuccessful
effort TO turn his right. There was some Keeling
in the Army OF the Cumberland, which had been
doing gallant service, That TO Gen. Snerman's
army, lately come upon That field, SHOULD be given
the GROWING work OF the campaign. But IL hap
pened, alter al, that The glory OF the battle
10 be by the Army OF the Cum
Oerland. TO relieve the pressure on Sher-
man Gen. Grant ordered that four divisions
OF the Army OF the Cumberland, SheridaI's, ODDS
Baird'S, and JohnsoD's, on orchard Knob, opposite
ward take The rifle pits AT the loot OF the ridge
the ridge, which was five or six hundred feeC
high, was an almost impregnab,e fortress. When
the signal was given the iour divisions advanced
upon the ridge, kept on through terrible fire and
gained the first line OF rife pits. There WAS
a halt Tor y few minutes A member OF The Army
OF the Cumberland told STAR reporter to-day
that the men found it so hot where they were that
they could not Stay there, and the whole army,
with sudden impulse moved, not 10 the rear,
but forward up the steep and scanned side Oh the
ridge. Gen. Fullerton, ia an account OF the battle
published by the Century, says the brave mea In
the ranks thought the time had come TO finish the
battle. Not a commanding officer had given the
order 70 advance. The men who carried the mus
keGS had taken the matter into their own hands
and moved Of their own accord. Officers, catching
their spirit, first followed, tnen led. To Capt.
Avery, an aide who was sent from headquarters to
sheridan to inquire the meaning OF the inexpllca-
bic movement. Gen. Sheridan said: 81 didn't order
them up; but We are going TO take the ridge" He
then. Gen. Fullerton says, asked Avery Tor his
flask and waved IT at group OF Confederate OIL
GERS standing in front OF Bragg headquarters on
the ridge, with the saluta;ton: "deres at you!"
At once two guns In front or Bragg's headQuar-
tiers were fired at Sheridan and The group OF OFF,
GERS about him. One shell struck so near as 10
throw dirt over Sheridan and Avery. "Ah!r said
the General, s'that is ungenerouS; shall take
those guns for that" Before Sheridan received
the message taken by Capt. Avery he had
sent a stan officer to Granger to inquire
whether 1.-The order given To take the
rifle pits meant those at the base or those on
the top OF the ridge, Then, the lighting cOntin-
ued with great Jury, the Federas steadily advance
ing I'D the steep, until at six different points the
men of SEerldan'S and Woods divisions
broke over the crest, Sheridan's first, near
Braggs headquarters and In q few minutes
Sheridan was beside the guns that had been
hired at hiln and claiming them as captures Soon
the enemy was in flight down the eastern slope
and Missionary Ridge was occupied by the Fede-
raj troops
TIE REUNION OF 80.
Garfield's Conspicuous Part i'm 1.-THE
Unwilling Of the Thomas Statue.
On the last and only occasion when the Society
OF the Army OF the Cumberland met In this city it
was to unveil the equestrian statue OF Gen.
rsho~coo po1v occrovipc- Thopna cfrcla f,op Cor